Graphipterus cordiger Dejean, 1831

Mawdsley, Jonathan R., 2012, A taxonomic review of the ancora species group of Graphipterus Latreille (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Insecta Mundi 2012 (228), pp. 1-11 : 5

Graphipterus cordiger Dejean

Figures 10–14

Graphipterus cordiger ( Dejean 1831: 461) (Holotype, Cap de Bonne-Espérance, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris).

Graphipterus hamatus Boheman (1848: 81) (Holotype, in Caffraria interiore, Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet, Stockholm).

Graphipterus zambezianus Péringuey (1892: 99) (Holotype, Near Zambezi River, South African Museum).

Graphipterus cordiger subcordiger Basilewsky (1977: 76 , 81-82) (Holotype, South West Africa, Farm Neitsas, bez. Groottfontein, Musee Royal de l’Afrique Centrale).

Graphipterus cordiger subhamatus Basilewsky (1977: 76-77 , 84) (Holotype, Natal, Port Natal, Zoologisches Museum der Humboldt-Universität, Berlin).

Diagnosis. Smaller adults, length 11–15 mm. Pattern of elytral vestiture distinctive ( Figures 10–14 ), with contrasting patches of yellowish-grey and black pubescence, the latter forming a narrow band along suture and a single broad, rounded lobe-like patch extending onto the disc but not attaining the lateral margin. The basal band of lighter pubescence has a distinct triangular projection onto the disc. The color of the lighter pubescence ranges from yellowish-grey to orange. This is also one of the few species of Graphipterus in which the second metatibial spur is arcuate and not spatulate ( Basilewsky 1977). The shape of the patches of dark setae and the coloration of the lighter setae varies between populations and was used by Burgeon (1929) and Basilewsky (1977) as the basis for recognizing subspecific taxa.

Distribution. Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Republic of South Africa (Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu/Natal, Northern Cape, North West, and Western Cape Provinces), Zambia, Zimbabwe. For a list of collecting localities see Basilewsky (1977: 80-87).

Taxonomic Notes. The names listed above in synonymy (as well as many of the taxa listed under G. wahlbergi below) were generally considered valid species before Burgeon (1929) placed them as subspecies under G. cordiger . Basilewsky (1977) treated all of the names that I have included here under the species G. cordiger and G. wahlbergi as subspecies of a single polytypic species, which he called G. cordiger by priority. This approach is problematic, as there are clear areas of overlap between many of the alleged subspecific forms (e.g. between G. c. betshuana and G. c. subhamatus, between G. c. betshuana and G. c. zambezianus , and between G. c. hamatus and G. c. transfugus ), and these overlapping populations generally lack intergrade forms ( Basilewsky 1977). Furthermore, several pairs of putative subspecies (G. c. cordiger and G. c. subcordiger, G. c. hamatus and G. c. subhamatus, G. c. betshuana and G. c. wahlbergi ) have identical patterns of elytral pubescence and can be separated only by collecting locality ( Basilewsky 1977). Having examined extensive collections of this species in the museum collections listed above, I came to the conclusion that at least two separate species are present. One species has a large rounded patch of dark pubescence on the elytra, and a triangular projection on disc associated with the basal band of light pubescence. The other species has a more transverse, often rectangular band of dark pubescence on the elytra, and consistently lacks the triangular projection from the basal band of light pubescence. By priority, these two species are named G. cordiger and G. wahlbergi , respectively. Recognition of two separate species resolves the problems associated with overlapping subspecies, since the observed areas of overlap are always between forms with a rounded patch of dark pubescence and forms with a transverse band of dark pubescence. The subspecific taxa with identical markings can be interpreted as disjunct populations of either G. cordiger (in the case of G. c. cordiger and G. c. subcordiger and in the case of G. c. hamatus and G. c. subhamatus) or G. wahlbergi (in the case of G. c. betshuana and G. c. wahlbergi ).

Graphipterus cordiger as restricted here is generally distributed throughout the southern and central provinces of the Republic of South Africa, with populations also in central Namibia, central Zimbabwe, southern Zambia, northern Mozambique, and Malawi. For a full synonymy for this species, see Basilewsky (1977: 76–77).

Figures

Figures 10–18. Adult habitus images of specimens of species in the ancora species group, from the TMSA collection. Specimen identifications by P. Basilewsky are given in brackets after the current valid name for the specimen figured. 10) G. cordiger [G. cordiger cordiger Dejean], Gideon’s Kraal Farm, 30.38 S, 25.34 E, Northern Cape Province, RSA. 11) G. cordiger [G. cordiger hamatus Boheman], nr. Hartbeespoort Dam, North West Province, RSA. 12) G. cordiger [G. cordiger subcordiger Basilewsky, paratype], Swakopmund, Namibia. 13) G. cordiger [G. cordiger subhamatus Basilewsky, paratype], Thornybush, Limpopo Province, RSA. 14) G. cordiger [G. cordiger zambezianus Péringuey], Salisbury, Mashonaland (modern-day Harare, Zimbabwe). 15) G. wahlbergi [G. cordiger betshuana Burgeon], Grootdraai, Mpumalanga Province, RSA. 16) G. wahlbergi [G. cordiger natalicus Basilewsky, paratype], “Natal,” KwaZulu/Natal Province, RSA. 17) G. wahlbergi [G. cordiger transfugus Péringuey], Nylsvley, Limpopo Province, RSA. 18) G. wahlbergi [G. cordiger wahlbergi Boheman], Ohrigstad, Mpumalanga Province, RSA.